Helping with Trail Tribulation

Buffaloes (left to right) Wonder Calves, Dr. Rose, Devil Dawg, and the Fire Marshal at the aid station campfire at McNaughton Park near Pekin.

Limey (my buffalo buddy Tracy Thomas), always a colorful character, in a not-so-subtle hat.

Twelve-year-old Jessica, daughter of the Fire Marshal and Party Marty, pauses while sawing wood for our campfire. We were accused of violating child labor laws, but she insisted on working.
Duane Frichtl, the revered Wonder Calves, one of the founding fathers of the Buffaloes.

It is always rewarding to see other runners trying to reach their goals, so the trail race at McNaughton Park near Pekin was a special event this weekend as the buffaloes manned an aid station on the course. Arrived there Friday evening and handed out food, drink and words of encouragement to runners until almost 6 a.m. Saturday morning. When I finally did get to sleep in my tent, the sound of raindrops woke me up after about an hour and a half of sleep. My tent passed the test with no leakage. A continuous campfire and an always interesting array of weary runners through the night made the time go surprisingly fast. Mohawk and Dr. Rose were entertaining conversationists throughout the night by our campfire. I also worked the aid station much of the day Saturday. Some of the Buffaloes finished the 50- and 100-mile distances. None of the herd was entered in the 150-miler, the first of its kind in the U.S., but of those runners entered, several managed to finish. Amazingly crazy people.

I had a chuckle Sunday morning after getting a good nights' sleep at home after the race. I had placed my buffalo hat on a bench by the front door to air it out after campfire smoke had permeated it. A guy with political flyers walked up to my door and took a long glance at the furry object on the bench. He left the flyers at the door and walked away, still staring at the hat. The horns couldn't be seen, so it looked like a furry animal of some sort.

Snips and Snails and Buffalo Tails

That's what little boys should made of. And speaking of little guys, the planned rendezvous with the herd and the trail baptism of Red Chief tonight will have to be postponed until better weather is here. Besides, the Chief has told his mom that he needs "fast shoes" for running. I ran the trail last night, and as expected it was a swamp in places, which was fun.

Big gathering of the herd this weekend at Pekin for the McNaughton ultra trail run. Many of the herd will be working the aid station "Heaven's Gate" at the race. Some of the buffalo are running the race, which has distances of 50, 100, and 150 miles. 150 miles. Good luck with that. I hope to post photos of this event soon.

Easter Dudes

Grandson Ethan (Buffalo nickname=Red Chief) in a rare still moment at Easter dinner. I may bring him out to the Buffalo Holy Thursday trail run this week and introduce him to the herd and trail running.

My son the Timster with his Easter basket. He's still my baby boy. His big sister, the Princess, worn-out mother of the raucous Red Chief, was camera shy.

How to Stop a Running Buffalo: Turn on "Grey's Anatomy"

Bully! Queen and Prince Meet America's King

Moonlight on the Buffalo Trace Trail

The only shows for the full moon run last night were Cuzzin Don and me. I figured everyone else was watching the NCAA championship game or recovering from the 30-mile Clinton trail run. Too bad no one else was there because they really missed a show. I am an avid basketball fan at tournament time but the real show was out on the trail in a cloudless, moonlit setting. A group of deer in an open field fully illuminated by the moon was spectacular. The bright night and the always stimulating conversation of the crazy Cuz made for a fun time.

Crash and Burn . . . but Smiling

Just before the start of the race with my buffalo buddies Worm (left) and Scarface.

Well, I managed to finish 20 miles of the 30-mile trail race yesterday. Next year I'll train properly and the anguish won't be so bad. My longest training run was 10 miles; that won't make it for a 30-mile race on a hilly course. My quads tightened up so much that I could barely get up the hills at some points. The trail around Clinton Lake is the toughest trail I have run, nastier even than Forest Glen. A lot more ups and downs. And I like running in mud, but there was so much that it eventually got on my nerves. Had a great time with fellow Buffaloes.

There's roadkill . . .

. . . and then there's trailkill, which is what I may be after a 30-mile trail race this Sunday at Clinton Lake. I hope they have stretcher bearers to carry off my carcass.

Easter Has Been Cancelled

Buffalo buddy Cuzzin Don sent me this. I'm crushed.

Trail Chief

Good chance that I'll bring Red Chief to the Mahomet trail on April 12 to meet the buffaloes on their regular Thursday evening run. The Mother Princess has "plans," so I have the little bison that evening. I hope to have him run with us for at least a short span, then he can have (root) beer. There is a Dairy Queen in Mahomet , so I could entice him with that. Anyway, it will be his inaugural run with the herd. Bought the little guy a guitar for his birthday, so nowadays we jam. Lately, he has been cheating in our arm wrestling contests. When I almost have him pinned he grips with two hands to save himself. No fair. He's five now and should be able to whip me.

I'll Drink to That

"You are young only once, but you can be immature for a lifetime."
- John P. Grier

Grazing Under the Lightning

Every Thursday evening from now until November will be Holy Thursday, a time for running and grazing at the Buffalo Trace Trail at Mahomet. Last night's festivities got a little hairy when four of us (Cuzzin Don, Lard Ass, Devil Dawg, and me), while consuming buffalo bait (beer to the uninitiated), stayed on long after the run and "shot the buffalo bull" while lightning lit the darkening sky. When a particular bolt got a little too close, we finally had to leave the trail area. As usual we had stayed too long, but illuminated by lightning and swapping stories, it was all good. It was tough leaving my brother bulls. I even missed most of my beloved "Grey's Anatomy" show, but it was worth it. Long live the herd.

Testimony: Buffalo Treatment "Inhumane and Unacceptable"

An example of a buffalo holding facility

From some of the written testimony today before a congressional committee investigating the treatment of buffalo at Yellowstone, unique among U.S. herds because they are members of the country's only continuous wild herd:

From statement of U.S. Representative Nick Rahall - "Like the monuments on our National Mall or the dome on the Capitol building, the bison [buffalo] is an American icon . . . Why is the Department of the Interior murdering its beloved mascot? We are told it is due to the threat of disease. Once they leave the park they can come into contact with cattle grazing on public and private land and some of the bison may carry a disease which can be dangerous to cows. But here is the critical point: the transfer of this disease from bison to cattle has never happened in the wild. Never . . . Slaughter is not management . . . it is an approach from a bygone era."

U.S. Humane Society President and CEO Wayne Pacelle: "There is ample documentation that the treatment of bison in and around Yellowstone National Park in inhumane and unacceptable . . . animals being run to exhaustion, corralling that does not guard against bison goring each other in a panic, animals driven onto frozen lakes that results in their falling through the ice and into frigid waters, mishandling that results in injury and death, overstocking transport trailers, and shooting bison at a slaughter plant because the animals were allowed to inadvertently escape their holding areas.
"This deplorable set of circumstances reveals the clumsy and unprofessional handling of the animals by the state and the federal government. In short, these animals are handled like livestock rather than extremely powerful wild animals."

Congress to Investigate Slaughter

Fallen buffalo at Yellowstone National Park.

It's been a long time coming: Just received an e-mail from the Buffalo Field Campaign announcing that a congressional hearing on the slaughter of Yellowstone buffalo will take place tomorrow (Tuesday) and can be viewed here.

From a news release: "The Yellowstone buffalo are national treasures, symbols of America's wild and untamed spirit," said Stephany Seay of the Buffalo Field Campaign. "Rather than spending time and resources slaughtering them, the government should be safeguarding habitat and protecting the buffalo under their care."

With the Herd

Spent much time with the herd this weekend, Saturday running 10 miles of the Clinton Lake trail and Sunday hiking Forest Glen Nature Preserve near Danville. Will run/walk a 30-mile trail race on the Clinton Lake trail in less than two weeks. Ugh. That 's the toughest trail in the area.

Ready to get out on the bike. Swimming has been pathetic. I'm hoping it will all come together at a triathlon May 20 in Effingham, my first of the season.

Discovering Alfred

While doing research on Alfred Gross (here's Al doing taxidermy in the field on a bird in 1907), I have become obsessed with his experiences at the Illinois Natural History Survey. As an undergrad at the U of I he walked the entire state of Illinois collecting information about birds. His photos and letters from the early 1900s are fascinating, a great historical record, and I can't wait to see more of his writings and photos. Problem is, they're in Maine. Road trip? Maybe. I still have a Yellowstone trip to think about. Gotta get organized. More later.

The Little Buffalo Turns 5

Grandson Ethan (aka Red Chief) celebrates his 5th birthday today. Got my little arm wrestling partner a gift certificate for a tattoo. And not a temporary one. Barbed wire around the bicep would be good.

Faces from Long Ago

Who are these guys? I'm determined to find out. While doing research for an article I'm writing about an ornithologist (that's a bird person), I accidentally came across a box of forgotten old photos in our library here at work. This photo was taken in 1907 in southern Illinois. These are probably University of Illinois students who were doing fieldwork for the Illinois Natural History Survey, but it's going to take some digging on my own time to find out their names. I can probably consult old university yearbooks and match photos there to these faces. Then I can determine names, ages, their field of study, fraternities, and even if they were on U of I sports teams. It will take some detective work, but it will be fun. (Check out the dead possums hanging on the tent.)

Running Herd

Check out this video clip from a commercial featuring a buffalo herd at full speed. Turn up the sound. Love the shaking earth.

Hi there!

Evening on the Treacherous Trace

Running on the Buffalo Trace Trail at Mahomet last evening was like a box of chocolates: you never knew what you were gonna get with the snow and ice-covered trail. I've had enough of running in the streets, so I was determined to run as much as I could. Right at the start I almost went down on icy snow. Occasionally there were spots with no ice or snow and I picked up the pace, but all these ultimately ended into hard crusty snow or ice. At many spots I would have to go completely off the trail for 10-15 feet to avoid ice, running in the tall grass. It was all a very eerie experience because I was the only human out there, the silence broken as I crunched through the hard snow. "Hound of the Baskervilles" went through my mind, a rabid dog on the moors of Mahomet ready to pounce on me. And there were wolves out there who would eat me (Princess, show this to Red Chief and tell him I'm not kidding). I ran almost the entire 5 miles and loved it, although I had to prance back and forth and side to side to navigate the trail.

Moon run Saturday night on this trail. With colder temperatures due for the weekend, ice skates may be proper footwear.

Remembrance of Buffalo Days

While waiting in line for an hour and a half at Mark Daly's wake last evening (a special guy brings out a crowd), I nervously clutched a small pin like the one at right. I had worn this for the last few years on a hat I wore while running, and thought it could be used as a small token of remembrance for Mark and his buffalo running days. So when I finally reached Nicole, Mark's wife, and asked as a special favor if she would put it on Mark's suit lapel, both she and her dad were pleased and said it would be fitting if I put it on the lapel. Kneeling at the casket I carefully attached the pin and bid Mark farewell.

The Passing of a Buffalo

Mark at full gallop at the first Buffalo Trace race at Mahomet, 2003. He ran the 5 miles in 35:33, 7:07/mile pace. Pretty good for a 47-year-old.

(Click on these images for larger views)












Mark (standing, second from left) with the Buffaloes in 2002 at a Thursday evening run at the Buffalo Trace Trail at Mahomet.

My friend and fellow buffalo Mark Daly has passed away after a long battle with brain cancer. After being diagnosed with the cancer in the fall of 2005, Mark wanted to run with the buffaloes again after not being with us for quite a while. He asked about Thursday runs and moon runs, and did a moon run with us that December and later a few other runs.

Several months ago Mark mentioned to me a poem he liked, one that had a stanza about death and buffaloes. I knew the poem, and upon his passing I sadly present it here. Rest, Mark.

The Ballad Of William Sycamore
Stephen Vincent Benet

Now I lie in the heart of the fat, black soil,
Like the seed of a prairie-thistle;
It has washed my bones with honey and oil
And picked them clean as a whistle.

And my youth returns, like the rains of Spring,
And my sons, like the wild-geese flying;
And I lie and hear the meadow-lark sing
And have much content in my dying.

Go play with the towns you have built of blocks,
The towns where you would have bound me!
I sleep in my earth like a tired fox,
And my buffalo have found me.

The Last Dance

Went to the Illini-Michigan game last night and saw the last dance of Chief Illiniwek. I can't believe there has been so much time, money and energy spent on the controversy. Don't people have better things to do? Let him go peacefully, and let's move forward.

Seeing Red . . . and a Lot of White

Red Chief (aka Ethan) wearing my buffalo hat during the blizzard.

This was my Valentine. Spent most of the day with this beauty.

Leo, my backyard guardian li0n, was almost buried in a drift.

The blizzard of Feb. 13 was not fun, until Red Chief came over. Most of Valentine's Day was spent shoveling out my large driveway and then unburying Princess and Red Chief.

Blizzard Bison

Geez, I wanted more snow, but a major blizzard was not exactly the wish. Main occupation the last three days has been shoveling snow. Red Chief and Princess had to stay the night at my place Tuesday because of the clogged roads. For the Chief, all that snow was fun, and snoozing in a sleeping bag in Grandpa's living room was exciting for the little guy. Will post photos of blizzard-related events when time allows. That may be a while. As with an itch that you can't reach in the middle of your back, ya just gotta grimace and say, "This is temporary." Spring is on the way.

Finally saw "Little Miss Sunshine" this weekend on cable. Fantastic flick. A great cast, but Alan Arkin as the Grandpa steals the show. Just a fun film. See it.
RATING: four buffaloes (highest)

Note to the Princess

Yup, it's finally coming out on DVD, but not till April. Harry and the Hendersons, the story of Big Foot and a family. Not exactly a favorite of the Princess, but her little brother loved it, as I do. Red Chief is burned out on Jeremiah Johnson, and I'm not real thrilled about watching Hannah Montana and the Disney Channel. Too cold for my favorite activity, taking the Chief to the park, so I guess I'll bear down and watch the kids stuff. There's still arm wrestling.

I like running in the snow . . .

. . . but I'm ready for spring - taking Red Chief to the park, Thursday evening runs at the Mahomet trail, bike rides. Scouting triathlons: new one in Decatur, others at Springfield, Effingham, Mattoon. Several at Indianapolis, a great venue. Disappointed to see the "World's Largest Triathlon", the Accenture in Chicago, is up to $130. Cripes. With the cost of gas, hotel room, and meals, that's a load. I've had my best triathlons up there, but can't see going back at those prices.

Snowplow!

Great fun yesterday seeing Red Chief with a huge grin and "Wow, look at all the snow!' after he was cooped up in day care all day. While shoveling snow at the palace of the Princess, the Chief laughed as I tossed snow on him. Terrific to see and hear a four-year-old's glee.

After I got home I went out on a run in the darkness, the best part being the nearby golf course, where only the tracks of a few cross-country skiers dented the snow. The running was not that difficult in the deep snow because it was powdery, but I did walk some. Very quiet and peaceful, and I had the place to myself. Everything was bright because of the snow. I guess nobody in his right mind would be out trudging around in the deep snow on a golf course on a winter night with single-digit temperatures.

After the run, to warm up I had my nightly glass of wine and watched the last part of "Deliverance". That movie always gives me the creeps.

Flying for Food in Winter

At a Super Bowl party yesterday, my buffalo buddy Cousin Don said he spotted a bald eagle recently in the area. I was curious, so I got the following information from one of our bird experts at the Illinois Natural History Survey where I work: To my surprise, Illinois is second only to Alaska as a refuge area for bald eagles in winter because of the Mississippi and Illinois River corridor. Higher-than-usual concentrations of the eagle in Illinois this winter and sightings of the eagle in areas away from the rivers are due to the freezing of much of the Mississippi and Illinois. Eagles cannot get at fish in frozen waters, so they go where the water is still flowing, for instance, at locks and dams. At Lock & Dam No. 13 on the Mississippi River in northwestern Illinois, a concentration of some 400 eagles was sighted recently. Eagles have been spotted flying over Champaign too, probably seeking water that is not frozen for fishing. Eagles have also been spotted next to highways, feasting on dead animal carcasses. So, if you're lucky enough to spot a bald eagle nearby, you can probably thank Ma Nature's deep freeze.

Ouch

Bring It On

The Best of Silly

The French soldier and his laughing buddies in the castle irritate King Arthur and Sir Galahad.

Princess gave me the DVD of "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" for Christmas. Whenever I need a good laugh I go to the castle scene. You have to see it to really appreciate it. From the priceless script:

KING ARTHUR: If you will not show us the Grail, we shall take your castle by force!
FRENCH SOLDIER: You don't frighten us, English pig-dogs! Go and boil your bottom, sons of a silly person. I blow my nose at you, so-called Arthur King, you and all your silly English k-nnnnniggets. Thppt! Thppt! Thppt!
SIR GALAHAD: What a strange person.
FRENCH SOLDIER: I don't wanna talk to you no more, you empty headed animal food trough wiper! I fart in your general direction! Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries!

Wrestling and Scrubbing

After watching the National Arm Wrestling Championships on ESPN, I challenged Red Chief to arm wrestling . . . and . . . just whipped him bad. Then later he quietly comes up to me, puts his elbow down, forearm straight up, and shows me an open fist, saying "Lets go." Hah. It was brutal. Punk four-year-old. But he sometimes wins.

I've become addicted to another hospital TV show - Scrubs. Ironically, it is opposite my very favorite show, Grey's Anatomy, but Scrubs is shown on Comedy Central at 6-7 p.m. five nights a week, two episodes back to back. The Scrubs cast and stories are hilarious, downright silly, but I love it. It's been on for a few years, but only recently have I started watching.

Sweet Run

At right is Jeff Riddle (the Riddler), ultra runner, trail afficionado, buffalo, and husband of Debbie, who made 79 cream-filled chocolate cupcakes for participants of last Saturday's Riddle Run. The run is Jeff's annual January No-Matter-What-the-Weather tromp at the Buffalo Trace Trail at Mahomet. The cupcakes are a Riddle Run tradition, having been there on all eight runs.

Can't post photos of Riddle Run as promised because I took only two photos and they're not good. So, suffice it to say that it was much fun in the cold and wind and mud of a January day. Managed to run (and walk) 20 miles at the Buffalo Trace trail at Mahomet with a big group, many my herd homies. Ran 16 with Wonder Calves and Buffalo Dave and then the last 4 with Dave. These two original buffaloes were appropriate running partners at my favorite running place and running event. I guess I should have a cast of characters for this blog since nicknames abound.

The Grapes of Wrath

Ugh. Recovering after too much wine and merriment at a gathering of the herd last night at Marty and Teresa's home. As is customary, we ran a few miles before eating and drinking. Amid the fun was a kitchen caucus of Bush bashers as a few Democrat Buffaloes (me included) discussed presidential candidates.

Tomorrow is my favorite running event, the Riddle Run, a trail run at Mahomet that brings together a lot of fun folks and good food no matter what the weather. This is the 8th year of this event and I've never missed it. A few years ago it dipped to -11 degress at the start of the run, and other years have seen freezing rain, snow, and ice. Portable stoves and generators have allowed us to cook despite some tough conditions. I'll be taking a lot of photos at the Riddle Run and will probably post them Monday.

Yellowstone Dreaming on a Winter's Day

Latest message from the Buffalo Field Campaign: "The mercury hovered around 50 below in West Yellowstone, Montana on January 13th. But, just like any other day, Buffalo Field Campaign staff and volunteers were on the job--monitoring, documenting, educating, and advocating for America's last free-roaming, wild bison. Why do we do it? That's simple: It's the right thing to do for this majestic American icon." What dedication. Wish I could be there.

I think this is going to be the year that I finally travel to Yellowstone to see the big herd and the many other wildlife at the national park. I've been collecting maps, literature and guides for several years. Ideally I would like to pitch a tent in one spot as a base camp and do as many day hikes as I can while I'm there. We'll see what develops.